KLANG: There is a serious need for sweeping reforms to Malaysia’s correctional system, says the National Human Rights Society (Hakam).
Its president, Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam said in a statement this was because the public inquiry by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) into last year's Taiping Prison Incident exposed serious failings affecting detainee treatment and prison conditions.
One prisoner died and more than 100 inmates were injured in the January 2025 incident at the prison.
The inquiry led by Suhakam had recommended criminal action against all the officers involved.
The inquiry's recommendation was based on witness testimony and CCTV footage.
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Ramachelvam said on Thursday (May 28) that the inquiry’s findings have rekindled a vital national discussion about how prisoners are treated and the structural problems extend beyond a single facility.
Hakam believes that prison reform is not merely a criminal justice issue but a question of human dignity, public policy and human rights, he added.
He also said that court-ordered deprivation of liberty should never mean a loss of basic dignity or fundamental rights.
"There remains a misconception that imprisonment itself justifies harsh conditions or treatment and that all those imprisoned are deserving of such conditions.
"This misconception often assumes that prison populations consist exclusively of individuals convicted of serious or violent crimes," Ramachelvam added.
He said Malaysia’s prison population includes those detained for minor offences and immigration-related matters, who were unable to pay fines, or under remand pending trial.
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According to Ramachelvam, the inquiry also raised grave concerns about overcrowding, unsafe living conditions, institutional accountability and the treatment of detainees.
He added that these required comprehensive reform to prevent recurrence.
Pointing to international standards, he called on the government to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and to align with the UN Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners, which required respect for the inherent dignity of all detainees.
He pointed out the case of Gan Chin Eng, the inmate who died in the incident from blunt force trauma and coronary atherosclerosis.
A total of 46 police reports and investigation papers were opened into his death and alleged assaults on other inmates.
Ramachelvam said Hakam called for thorough, transparent investigations into allegations of abuse, violence and misconduct and urged the police to provide clear, regular updates on their progress.
